European Food Research and Technology最新文献

Metabolomics is an omics methodology for the analysis of low-molecular-weight compounds and useful to gain information on the biological effect of medicinal agents. However, in the field of metabolomics, few methods have been established to simultaneously analyze exogenous and endogenous metabolites, which can provide insight into the pharmacological effects and potential mechanisms of action. Sulfur-containing compounds are characteristic constituents of Allium species including garlic, and possess a variety of beneficial effects on health. We have developed a comprehensive analytical method to identify major sulfur-containing compounds and their possible metabolites as well as various endogenous metabolites in plasma. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis of 166 reference substances including some sulfur-containing compounds provided information on retention time, accurate mass, and MS/MS parameters. The analytes spiked in rat plasma samples were successfully assigned using metabolite library that were constructed from the acquired reference information and publicly available databases. Subsequently, this method was used to examine the metabolic changes in rat plasma after administration of aged garlic extract (AGE). Immediately after administration of AGE, some sulfur-containing compounds derived from AGE were present at high concentrations in plasma. In addition, AGE administration induced temporal changes of plasma metabolites in rat. These results suggest that our method is useful in capturing changes in sulfur compounds and endogenous metabolites in body fluids associated with the dietary intake of garlic products and may provide a basis for understanding their pharmacological actions.

Paederia foetida L. (known by the local name as Jishiteng), A perennial vine plant of the Rubiaceae family, has been utilized for both medicinal and edible purposes in China for over three centuries. To date, 208 phytochemical constituents have been identified, including volatile oils, phenolic compounds, terpenoids and their derivatives, fatty acids, and others. These bioactive components are associated with its pharmacological properties, including gastrointestinal modulatory and antiparasitic, hepatorenal protective, glycemic modulatory, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, and other activities. This paper systematically reviews the botany, traditional edible uses, nutritional composition, phytochemical constituents, and bioactivities of P. foetida. Notably, it presents the first comprehensive evaluation of its potential applications in functional food development, thereby providing a basis for future research and utilization in nutraceutical industries.

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This study investigates how salting (≈ 3% NaCl), borax addition, and mild pasteurisation (60 °C/20 min) jointly affect the nutritional quality, oxidative stability, microbial safety, and sensory acceptance of aquacultured Acipenser gueldenstaedtii caviar during refrigerated storage. Four processing groups were evaluated: traditional malossol (TM), borax-added malossol (BTM), pasteurised malossol (PTM), and borax-added pasteurised malossol (BPTM). Proximate composition, amino acid and fatty acid profiles, pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), water activity, microbial load, and sensory attributes were monitored during 7 months of cold storage (2 ± 1 °C). Essential amino acids increased after salting, with lysine, leucine, and valine showing the largest rises (up to ~ 49%, p < 0.05). Borax showed a temporary inhibitory effect on microbial growth but reduced certain semi-essential amino acids. All formulations maintained sensory scores ≥ 5.0/10 for ~ 5 months (p < 0.05), after which scores declined. Across treatments, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) peaked at ~ 11.8% (PTM); TVB-N reached ~ 6.4–9.2 mg/100 g by month 7; TBARS increased to ~ 0.70–1.30 µg MDA/g; mesophilic counts reached ~ 5.5 log cfu/g; and sensory acceptability persisted to ~ month 5. These findings show that optimised traditional processing can enhance the nutritional profile, safety, and shelf-life of sturgeon caviar.

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Microencapsulation is increasingly employed to enhance the stability and bioavailability of bioactive compounds in functional formulations. Among various carriers, Saccharomyces cerevisiae offers a natural, cost-effective, and biocompatible system. This study introduces a yeast-based approach for microencapsulating ascorbic acid, demonstrating the potential of S. cerevisiae as a sustainable vehicle for protecting and delivering hydrophilic bioactives. The encapsulation of ascorbic acid in S. cerevisiae cells, both with and without prior plasmolyzation treatment, was evaluated. The encapsulation efficiency (EE%) has been determined after a multi-step microencapsulation procedure with different temperatures and durations of incubation combinations. In addition, the in-vitro release profile of ascorbic acid from loaded yeast cells was studied. The results indicated that the EE (%) of ascorbic acid is higher in plasmolyzed cells (73.20%) compared to non-plasmolyzed (55.00%), suggesting enhancement of the uptake and retention of the bioactive compounds by plasmolysis pre-treatment. The highest EE (%) (94.96%) was achieved when plasmolyzed cells were incubated at 35 °C for 24 h, while higher temperatures decreased EE (%). The in-vitro release profile of the encapsulated ascorbic acid demonstrated a rapid release of over 95% within the first 4 h, with complete release by 8 h. This study highlights S. cerevisiae as a promising natural vehicle for the microencapsulation of sensitive bioactives, offering a simple and cost-efficient strategy for enhancing their stability in food systems. By demonstrating the feasibility of yeast-based encapsulation, the findings pave the way for scalable applications and the co-encapsulation of multiple functional compounds in future industrial developments.

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This study aimed to characterize and discriminate extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) obtained from three Olea europea traditional Calabrian cultivars Sinopolese, Roggianella, and Ottobratica, through an integrated chemometric approach. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on their physicochemical parameters (free acidity, peroxide value, fatty acids), antioxidant properties evaluated by 1,1 diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic) acid (ABTS) tests, oxidative stability, tocopherol content, and detailed phenolic profiles determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) method. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed among the cultivars for most variables, particularly in total phenols, α-tocopherol, and key phenolic markers. Roggianella showed the highest levels of total phenols and tocopherols, while Ottobratica was richer in phenolic acids and lignans. Sinopolese was distinguished by its unique content of secoiridoids and specific flavonoids. To explore data structure and varietal differentiation, multivariate statistical analyses were applied. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) explained 100% of the total variance with the first two components (PC1 = 70.2 and PC2 = 29.8), effectively separating the cultivars. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) confirmed this separation, grouping Roggianella and Ottobratica together, while Sinopolese formed an independent cluster. A Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) further enhanced cultivar discrimination, identifying key compositional markers through Variable Importance in Projection (VIP) scores. The most relevant discriminants (VIP > 1) included hydroxytyrosol acetate, 1-acetoxypinoresinol, 3,4-DHPEA-EDA. These findings confirm that chemometric tools are effective in distinguishing EVOOs based on their compositional profiles, supporting their application in varietal authentication, quality control, and the valorization of regional olive germplasm.

The use of 5-nitroimidazoles such as metronidazole, dimetridazole, ronidazole, tinidazole, and ipronidazole against Nosema infections has raised significant health concerns because of their mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. Hence, their detection is highly important for precise and reliable food safety monitoring. This research optimized two extraction methods for 5-nitroimidazoles in honey, namely, 52734-U-SupelMIP™ solid-phase extraction and QuEChERS salt extraction, which were analysed via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC‒MS/MS). The optimized method achieved detection limits of 0.05–0.19 µg/kg and quantification limits of 0.33–0.46 µg/kg. Linearity was demonstrated over the concentration range of 0.3–3.0 µg/kg (R² > 0.99), with repeatability below 17.24%, and RSD (%) and recovery rates ranging from 69.98% to 102.70%. 52734-U-SupelMIP™ solid-phase extraction showed 35.35% higher extraction efficiency than the QuEChERS salt extraction method. Analysis of 24 Albanian honey samples revealed nitroimidazole residues in 12.5% of the samples ([0.59–53.00 µg/kg] range). Three samples exceeded the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/808 minimum required performance limit (MRPL) of 1 µg/kg, reaching up to 53.0 µg/kg for metronidazole, underscoring the need for strict monitoring. This study delivers the first optimized comparison of SupelMIP™ columns, confirming their superior performance and importance for food safety.

Starch from underutilized fruit seed waste represents a promising renewable resource for developing sustainable biopolymers. This study reports the systematic extraction, physicochemical characterization, and nanoscale modification of starch recovered from Syzygium cumini (Jamun) seed waste. Six steeping agents, i.e., citric, lactic, ascorbic, and acetic acids, sodium hydroxide, and distilled water, were evaluated to determine their influence on starch yield and purity. Citric acid produced the highest recovery (39.65%), while ascorbic and lactic acids enhanced starch clarity and hydration properties. The extracted starch exhibited oval granules (2.8–32 μm) with high water (160%) and oil (124%) absorption capacities and moderate pasting stability (peak viscosity = 303.9 mPa·s at 82 °C). To overcome the limited solubility and crystallinity of native starch, nanoreduction was achieved using acid hydrolysis, ultrasonication, and their sequential combination. The combined treatment generated uniform, highly porous nanoparticles (~ 90–150 nm) due to synergistic chemical–physical disruption of amorphous regions. This represents the first integrated acid–ultrasound nanoreduction approach applied to S. cumini starch. The resulting nanostarch demonstrated structural reorganization confirmed by FTIR and SEM, indicating improved amorphous character and surface reactivity. These findings highlight S. cumini seed starch as a viable, low-cost candidate for future sustainable materials. Further studies on film formation, bioactivity, and scalability are recommended to validate its industrial potential.

This study aims to interlink the colloidal properties of lentil protein emulsions formulated with protein suspensions pre-treated with high pressure homogenization (HPH), thermal treatments (TT) and its combination (HPH + TT). Lentil protein suspensions were pre-treated with HPH (50 MPa), thermal treatment (120 °C for 60 s) or HPH followed by the TT. The physicochemical properties of these pretreated suspensions, as well as of emulsions prepared from them, were compared with those of an untreated sample. The particle size distribution of the suspensions was significantly reduced by HPH, with the volume-weighted mean diameter (D [4, 3]) decreasing from 3.63 μm (untreated) to 1.48 μm (HPH). TT and HPH + TT suspensions had a similar particle size distribution to the untreated sample, indicating a partial protein aggregation. The samples showed a transition from shear-thinning to near Newtonian behaviour when treated with TT and HPH + TT, which also enhanced their physical stability. The emulsion formulated with the pre-treated suspensions had a significantly lower particle size distribution compared to the untreated samples. Interestingly, the HPH + TT emulsion had the lowest particle size with a D [4, 3] of 1.07 μm and displayed the highest physical stability compared to the sample. The improved emulsion stability is likely due to enhanced enhanced physical properties in the protein suspensions, which increased their functionality and interfacial activity, leading to more effective stabilization of the oil droplets. These findings demonstrate that the combining HPH and thermal treatment can significantly improve the stability and functionality of high-solids lentil protein-stabilised emulsions, supporting their use in sustainable young child infant formula.

To promote the industrial production of ι-carrageenan and enhance its functional development, this study systematically investigated the influence of alkaline treatment duration (2–6 h) on the structural characteristics and physical properties of ι-carrageenan derived from Eucheuma denticulatum. The results indicated that a 3 h alkaline treatment achieved the highest yield (46.6%) and significantly enhanced gel strength by facilitating the formation of 3,6-anhydrogalactose (3,6-AG). Conversely, extended treatment beyond this optimum led to a progressive decline in molecular weight and product yield of ι-carrageenan. Moderate alkaline treatment (3–4 h) improved crystallinity and thermal stability while maintaining water-holding capacity above 80% after freeze-thaw cycles. FT-IR and XRD analyses confirmed that alkaline treatment preserved the fundamental structure of ι-carrageenan while altering molecular packing order. These findings highlight elucidates the underlying mechanism that alkaline treatment time modulates product quality through 3,6-AG formation, molecular chain degradation, and crystalline reorganization, offering theoretical guidance for optimizing food-grade carrageenan production with balancing higher yield and superior functional quality.

Valorization of grape waste, a by-product of the winery industry, has gained attention recently as it can help reduce environmental impact while adding value to the winemaking process by recovering a range of biologically active compounds. In the present study, the effects of different drying methods on the extraction and stability of bioactive compounds from grape winery waste were investigated. Four drying methods—tray drying (55 ± 2 °C for 16 h), shade drying (28 ± 2 °C for 72 h), vacuum drying (60 ± 2 °C for 3 h), and direct sun drying (for 18 h)—were applied to grape waste of cv. Punjab MACS Purple, and the bioactive compounds were analyzed. Further, the most effective method, vacuum drying, was optimized with respect to operating conditions to maximize the extraction of bioactive compounds for its potential use in the development of functional foods. Bioactive compounds—including total phenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins were extracted and quantified using HPLC and GC-MS. Vacuum drying at 60 °C for 3 h showed the highest retention of all bioactive compounds i.e. 5940 mg/100 mL anthocyanins, 2900 mg/100 mL flavonoids, and 7900 mg/100 mL phenolics, along with 2.22% RSA antioxidant activity followed by tray drying, shade drying, and direct sun drying. This study demonstrates that grape winery waste dried by the vacuum drying method offers an attractive alternative for valorizing this by-product, maintaining high levels of bioactive compounds, and providing scalable, economically viable solutions for the winery industry.